By Zuzanna Wójciak and Sophie Nixon (Essex DVU)
From 14 to 17 September 2022, a team from the University of Essex Digital Verification Unit (DVU) participated in the Digital Verification Corps (DVC) Summit organised by Amnesty International and Hertie School of Governance in Berlin.
It was the 5th DVC Summit. Representatives from five different universities— University of Essex, University of Cambridge, UC Berkeley, Universidad Iberoamericana and the Hertie School of Governance— gathered in Berlin to share their experiences working at the DVC and develop new skills in the field of open-source investigations. Throughout the summit, students had a chance to participate in sessions led by experts from leading Berlin-based OSINT organisations, Forensis and Mnemonic. In particular, students were interested in the session on the use of historical data in an investigation into genocide committed against the Herero, Mbanderu and Nama by Germany in Namibia. The summit also involved a day full of workshops on AI and its use in open-source research. The students were joined by members of the Berlin OSINT community in discussing the use of AI and machine learning in detecting hate speech and explosive ordnance, and the use of spyware against human rights activists.
Among many sessions, Zuzanna Wójciak, one of our students, co-delivered a presentation discussing our most recent project on hate speech in the context of the invasion of Ukraine. Marija Ristic and Milena Marin from Amnesty International discussed the opportunities and challenges presented by the use of machine learning in open-source investigations. Zuzanna talked about the work done by the Essex DVU team. She explained the techniques used by our students to undertake the project, as well as our findings.
The Essex DVU was launched in 2016 in the Essex Human Rights Centre Clinic. It works with the Amnesty International Evidence Lab to document and verify the evidence of alleged human rights violations all around the world. At the DVU, students are trained in open-source investigative techniques; they search through and verify user-generated content posted on social media. The DVU’s work is used by Amnesty and other external actors, such as the United Nations Commissions of Inquiry, Regional Human Rights bodies, and Forensic Architecture. For example, Tear Gas: An Investigation is an interactive map that shows cases of unlawful use of teargas. While police can use teargas as a method to disperse violent protests, this power is often abused. Students verified videos found on social media platforms which showcased authorities using teargas in unlawful ways. The platform was awarded a Webby Award for Best Activism Website in 2021.
Essex DVU is looking forward to even more exciting projects over the 2023-2024 academic year and welcoming a new cohort of students to its ranks.
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